1934-1948
Henry I. Stahr, a longtime trustee of Hood, became president in September 1934. Early in his tenure, the College received the first of many generous gifts from the Hodson Trust.
Like Dr. Apple, Dr. Stahr earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Franklin and Marshall College. A graduate of the Theological Seminary of the Reformed Church, he was an ordained minister in the Reformed Church. Prior to coming to Hood, he had been a high school teacher and principal, and a college professor.
Dr. Stahr was a worthy successor to Dr. Apple. Emory Coblentz, a member of the Board of Directors, told The Blue and Grey, that they had named “a person who knew educational principles and had a general knowledge of many more things at the same time.”
Despite the Depression and World War II, the College continued to prosper under Dr. Stahr’s leadership. During his administration, the Joseph Henry Apple Library, Hodson Outdoor Theater and the Shop were constructed, and the Spanish House and East Rayford were purchased. The College marked its 50th anniversary in 1944 with fundraising for a new gymnasium.
